Once a pallet system has been implemented, even greater opportunities for efficiency become available. Quality process management software improves productivity by facilitating a smooth flow of information through the production floor. By attaching CMMs, EDMs and HSMs to the software,

the sharing of information becomes instantaneous.
In an ideally configured production situation, a part begins on a pallet at a CMM. The CMM measures all necessary offsets and feeds those into the process management software. As the part moves on to be machined, these offsets are uploaded to each machine in the production cycle, saving time and eliminating the chance for error.

To further increase the benefits of such a system, ID chips can be affixed to pallets and electrodes. When a pallet is loaded onto an EDM, the software immediately identifies which series of electrodes are to be used and uploads that information to the machine. The machine can then automatically use the ID system to select the correct electrodes and commence machining.

The correct mix of pallets and process management software can clearly increase efficiency, but it also adds a flexibility that many moldmakers find useful. Should a priority job arise, the system makes it very easy to interrupt the job currently running, complete the high priority item and then resume the initial job with no significant amount of downtime or risk of inaccuracy.

Once a shop has successfully integrated a pallet system and process management software, moving into full blown automation represents a much less daunting task. As robots are added to move components through the process chain, they can be linked to the software, allowing all aspects of production to be managed from a convenient single source.